ALMOST FIRST PLACE, RANDY

THE STORY OF THE FIRST PLACE TEAM AND THE LAST PLACE TEAM REMINDED ME OF A STORY. IN 97 I HAD THE PRIVLAGE OF COACHING A JR. PEE WEE TEAM MADE UP OF KIDS THAT HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR AWHILE IN THE SYSTEM. THESE KIDS CAME TOGETHER AND LEARNED TO PLAY SOME SMASH- MOUTH FOOTBALL AS A TEAM!!!! WE WENT ON TO A UNDEFEATED, UNSCORED-UPON TEAM.UNTIL!!! THE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THAT WAS AGAINST OUR LONG AND BITTER RIVAL THE RAMS. THE SUCSSES THIS TEAM HAD, HAD CAUSED THE OLD (HERE I AM WHERE IS MY TROPHY) SYNDROME IT WAS A CLOSE GAME, THE STAFF DID ALL IT COULD TO SNAP THEM OUT OF IT BUT TO LATE. IT WAS TO BE A RAM WIN. THE PAIN IN THESE KIDS EYES WAS ALMOST MORE THAN I COULD BEAR. MANY OF THESE KIDS I HAVE KNOWN SINCE FLAG. THE LESSON!! WHAT HURT THE MOST WAS THE FACT THAT I SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING WE HAD BEAT THE RAMS VERY HANDLY EARLIER IN THE SEASON. THERE COACH DID HIS JOB AND HIS HOMEWORK. SUCCESS DOES NOT MEAN THE COACHING IS DONE. ILET THESE KIDS DOWN BY NOT KEEPING THERE HEADS SCREWED ON STRAIGHT. THE STAFF, MYSELF, TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LOSS. WE DID NOT PREPARE THEM FOR THE GAME. YOU MAY THINK THIS ALL BULL BUT, IT IS TRUE AND A LESSON TO BE LEARNED. THE GOOD NEWS!! THREE YEAS LATER I NOW HAVE THAT SAME 97 TEAM BACK!!!! AGES AND WEIGHTS HAVE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER AGIAN THESE KIDS ARE BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER. THE SAME STAFF HAS REASSEMBLED. WE ALL HOPE FOR AND EXSPECT A GREAT SEASON. THE KIDS ARE, WITHOUT DOUBT SMARTER, THE STAFF ADMITING THERE MISTAKE OF YEARS PAST ARE NOW SMARTE ALSO. REMEMBER COACHES GAINING THE RESPECT AND TRUST OF THE KIDS. MEANS TAKING THE HEAT WHEN YOU ARE WRONG!!!
THANKS COACHES
COACH MORONI